The Ode of the Ninja Way
by Cloudx9
Summary: In a world at peace, the Land of Fire under the LXII Hokage, Naruto "May his will rival the Gods" has taken control of the world banning the use of the scared art of chakra. Two brothers Itachi and Shisui struggle against prevailing odds to establish their ninja way. Along their journey, they realize their ninja way despite a traumatic change of events. This is their story.


A millennium has past since Naruto, the 7th Hokage reigned. Now in a modern society where the invention of cars and guns dominante city streets, the ancient art of charaka has been banned. The Land of Fire has taken over the world and constructed a wall larger than human-kind has ever seen to encase everything within, under the reign of the LXII Hokage Naruto, "May his will rival the Gods", we live in peace and harmony.

"Listen my sons, we live in a world where these techniques that I have taught you can never be used, unless..." before he could finish, the elderly Sarutobi was interrupted by two panting boys who spoke in unison, "Unless, their is a drastic danger and we can not defend someone we love by any other means." The boys then let out two loud sighs followed by a continued series of pants. They had just finished their daily training routine and were exhausted.

Sarutobi smiled as he looked down at the two 10 year old boys. It had been 6 years since they had been placed under his care. They had separate parents, but they both died in similar tragic accidents, or so everyone was told. Sasuke Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha were their fathers names. the two 10 year old boys weren't brothers although they acted as such.

"Sensei Saru, can we have tilapia for dinner tonight?" said the 10 year old boy standing on the left. He looked identical to the Itachi from long ago, with medium length hair that barely stretched down to his chin. "Tilapia does sound good sensei, ooo can you add that one special sauce that you always make too?" the boy standing to the right added in. He was identical to the Shisui from long ago with hair that draped over the head band he always seemed to wear.

The boys laughed, played and fantasized about the meal that they always seemed to crave. Sarutobi watched on, arms folded, delighted about his two mentees, or his grandsons as they became. It was just the other day that he was training their fathers in the same chakra concealing room hidden underneath his house. Now he was training their sons with the same ninja art that got them killed. A shame he thought.

Itachi and Shisui were named after their ancient ancestors who passed on the names according to how the children acted when they were first born. The names were fitting because the two boys showed promise, promise that made their skills far more impressive than their fathers. Itachi and Shisui were learning skills and techniques that their parents could not be taught until they were 15.

Sarutobi smiled at the thought of their skills. His smile however was interrupted by a jolting pain that he felt in his back. Sarutobi's body and been through many combat feats and was now failing him. His will kept him alive, he had to take care of his grandkids until they were old enough to take care of themselves.

Sarutobi forgot about his pain as the two boys went racing past him. Before they could reach the door, he grabbed them by the collars of their shirts. "You two seem to remember the warnings I give you, but how come you forget the ode of respect?" he questioned

The boys walked back over to the combat mat with their heads down then faced each other. They bowed and then pounded fist. "Respect for Respect, I fight not for glory or for power but for the survival of my ninja way."

Sarutobi smiled once again, "good jobs boys now head straight to your baths as I prepare your meals." The boys copied their aged sensei's smiled and darted up the staircase to the bathroom

Soon the house was filled with the savory aroma of grilled tilapia. The boys picking up on the scent came rushing down the stairs after their baths. When they got to the kitchen, their plates were already laid out so they wasted no time digging in. Sarutobi watched on as he always did. The boys devoured their meals as if they were hungry animals in the wilderness that hadn't eaten in days.

When they were finished, they held their bowls in the air, an indication to their sensei that they wanted more. In the middle of their second meal, Shisui looked up from his bowl, "Sensei, why aren't you eating he asked?"

"Yea Sensei, you never eat anymore" Itachi chimed in.

"I can't eat this because its bad for me boys" Sarutobi came up with an excuse.

Truth be told the old man couldn't eat because he had lost his appetite with his old age. The angel of death was close to him and he knew it, but he wasn't afraid.

The boys satisfied with their sensei's answer continued to eat. "Alright my young nin, its time for bed" Sarutobi said after the boys devoured several more bowls.

"You have training early in the morning, tomorrow marks an important development in your skills." the Sensei said.

Curious as to what their master was going to teach them the boys asked numerous questions while walking up the stairs until they were separated into their own rooms.

"Are you going to teach us a new jutsu?" Itachi said poking his head out of his room door.

"What if its a summoning jutsu?" Shisui asked poking his head out of the door in the same fashion.

The boys were about to continue their conversation when Sarutobi stomped on the ground. Understanding their sensei's seriousness, they ran to their beds.

"Good night Sensei Saru, good night Itachi" Shisui shouted from his bed.

"Good night Sensei Saru, good night Shisui" Itachi shouted after Shisui.

Sarutobi smiled for the thousandth time today, "Good night boys."

Sarutobi waited for a minute to make sure the two boys were actually going to sleep before he walked to his room.

Each step pained the old man, he knew his time was right around the corner.

The old man thought about his two boys and the lives they would live. He was happy because no matter what he always saw them living their ninja way. As he laid down in his bed his thoughts started to wonder to his past life. A time when war was the only thing that the world knew. The regime that they lived under now wasn't perfect, but it stopped people from killing each other.

Sarutobi knew that one day the war would return. "I hope my boys follow their ninja way amongst all things and I pray it takes them down a path that they would be happy to have made." Sarutobi said out loud, his eyes finally closing.

He soon was off into a deep sleep.

The sun shown through a sliver in the window directly onto the eyes of Sarutobi, hinting at what the day held.

Sarutobi heard noises coming from the hall way that sounded like muffled voices. The boys were playing a game that they always did

They tried to sneak up on their sensei as if they were shinobi on a mission. Sarutobi aware of their usual plot had a plan.

Itachi moved silently around the corner of the door to find his sensei asleep, his head facing in the opposite direction.

Shisui quickly moved in after him. They made no noise, as if they were not there at all. Shisui ducked at the base of the bed while Itachi crouched on the side.

As if they were in each others heads, they both pounced on their sleeping sensei at the same time.

Suddenly, *poof*. In the place of where their sensei had been, there was a wooden log.

Sarutobi came out of his closet smiling, "Now boys I thought I taught..." in the middle of his sentence, two puffs of smoke appeared where the boys were on the bed. Now in their place were two logs.

Out of the closet, behind their sensei came the two boys smiling as wide as their mouthes could stretch.

"Geez Sensei Saru, you really are getting old" Shisui said touching his sensei's right leg. Then Suddenly, *poof* their sensei disappeared again, his body was replaced by a log once more.

The two kids looked at each other as their sensei walked into the room, fully dressed in his combat clothes that he always wore when they were training.

"You boys still aren't dressed?" He smirked

Both of the boys looked at each other with frustration. Then they looked at their clothes. they still had their pajamas on.

They walked out of the room murmuring their disapproval. They thought they would have caught their sensei for sure this time.

When the three arrived to the combat room, the boys started their normal fitness exercises.

"110..111..112" the boys counted their pull-ups in unison.

After they were finished they started their tiajustu sparing match.

They bowed. Itachi swung his first kick as soon as Shisui's head rose. Aware of his friend's tactics, Shisui dodged by bending forward, Itachi's kick grazing the top of the boys hair.

In one motion Shisui launched a right jab at Itachi's feet in attempt to knock him off balance, But the other boy was well aware of his long timed sparing partners plans and did a back flip to dodge.

Shisui was on him as soon as he landed and sent a right jab at Itachi's face or rather where Itachi's face was because now Itachi was to Shisui's right aiming for his abdomen.

*Poof* a log appeared in the place of Shisui's body. Itachi's punched shattered the log into pieces.

Shisui now above, was attempting to land a finishing kick on Itachi's head. He had timed his substitution to perfection. He knew that Itachi would not have sensed his attack from above because he usually aimed for the boys feet.

As the kick was about to land, Itachi stretched his hands in the air as if he could see where the kick was coming from.

He grabbed Shisui's foot and tossed him.

Shisui surprised by his sparing partners counter could do nothing but land so that he did not take a serious hit.

*Smack* Shisui hit the wall but sacrificing his hands so that his head wouldn't hit the wall.

Itachi aware of his opponents shock was on Shisui as soon as he made impact.

Shisui as if he could see Itachi before he made his move was able to counter.

*Smack* the two boys fists collided.

*Smack* Itachi's right leg then collided with Shisui's right leg

*Smack* now their right hands collided.

*Smack* once again their right legs collided.

The two boys jumped back away from each other as if one were copying the other.

Then they shouted in unison, "I See you!"

Sarutobi looked on with content in his heart for he knew what the boys meant. The final stages of their transformations was about to be complete. The boys continued their sparing as their eyes began to see each other with increasing validity.

However, Sarutobi's eyes were doing the opposite.

His vision became blurry and then he fell to his knees.

The boys suddenly aware of their sensei's condition, rushed towards him.

"Sensei get up!" Itachi shouted.

"Yea, sensei come on you're ok!" Shisui echoed.

As Sarutobi opened his eyes he could see the two boys kneeling over him as he laid on the ground. Sarutobi stared up into two pairs of sharigan eyes, tears flowing out of each.

He smiled, "I am so proud of you boys."

The boys eyes poured out more tears at their sensei's words.

"Did you boys not finish fighting?" Sarutobi asked, his words interrupted by his heavy breathing. His heart could no longer support the task of supplying blood to his body. His eyes were now closing again.

"What is the ode of respect?" He said releasing a final breath.

The boys spoke in the middle of their crying, "Respect for Respect, I fight not for glory or for power, but for the survival of my ninja way."

Sarutobi smiled one final time as the sobs and voices of his grandsons lulled him into a lifeless sleep.


End file.
